Google My Business is Google’s new platform for creating, managing, and monitoring business listings. It is a good first step for companies that are just getting started on the web; but it has also become the main, one-stop-shop dashboard for businesses that previously used Google+ Local and Google Places for Business.

If your brand claimed and verified your listing on one of the previous platforms, the information should have been automatically updated to Google My Business.

However, it’s still a good idea to check to make sure everything transferred correctly. If not, fix any inaccuracies or duplicates as soon as possible.

One of the major benefits of the service is that businesses will no longer have to update their information multiple times across different Google properties.

Google My Business will help you connect with more local consumers, whether they’re searching for you on organic search, Maps, or Google+. It is a fast way to help your business show up across the board; ultimately giving you more visibility and exposure.

Google My Business is a free service designed to get more business owners under the Google umbrella. Its tools and features make it very convenient for companies to manage their Google-related online properties in a single unified place.